Modular conveyor

ABSTRACT

A modular conveyor system for the conveyance and distribution of individual items or continuous materials by means of conveyors and in particular conveyor belts. The conveyor system includes two or more conveyor modules mounted one after the other or aligned on a base frame, with each conveyor module having a rack on which a floor belt and two lateral guide belts are mounted. The rack of each conveyor module is mounted so that it can be moved relative to the base and to the other conveyor modules to discharge material from the respective conveyor module. An intermediate member is provided between each two adjacent conveyor modules and abuts each of the adjacent conveyor modules to provide a continuous conveyor path between adjacent conveyor modules.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modular conveyor system for thetransport and distribution of goods of various types, shapes, surfaces,weight and consistency. Already known are conveyor systems in which thegoods are transported over conveyor belts equipped with switches,rollers, transversely extending belts, and can be transferred out atvarious target locations. The goods must here be adapted to the beltconditions. Reliable transport and malfunction-free distribution arevery dependent on the frictional relationships between the goods and thebelt. In particular, loose and lightweight goods, such as paper, loosenewspapers and magazines, may fall off the belt or be blown away. Inconnection with these goods, there also exists the danger ofmalfunctions at switches and branch-offs and in the region of theoutward transfer. On the other hand, for materials welded into plasticthere exists the danger of adhesion to the conveyor belt. Moreover, insuch systems, if guide means such as slide planes or the like areemployed along the sides of the conveyor belts, relative movements occurbetween the material being transported and these guide means so thatthere exists the danger of damage to the goods being transported.

Other conveyor systems are based on container transport on rails,rollers or wheels, or on dump-tray techniques. The drawbacks of thesesystems are that the containers or trays must be returned and that theballistic ejection of the goods being transported when they aretransferred out exerts greater forces on the goods.

The present invention intends to avoid the drawbacks of the prior artconveying devices. In particular, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a conveyor system in which a defined and reliableguidance of the goods takes place along a continuous conveying pathduring the entire transporting and distribution process, in whichcontact and friction of the goods at guide means and switches areminimized, in which the goods assume no undefined states during outwardtransfer, and in which the influence of the surface consistency of thegoods being transported on the transporting and distribution process isminimized.

The above object is generally realized by the present invention by amodular conveyor arrangement for transporting and distributing discreetor continuous goods comprising two or more aligned conveyor modulesattached to a basic frame, with each conveyor module including a rack onwhich a bottom conveyor and two lateral guide conveyors are mounted, andwith the rack of each conveyor module being movable, relative to theframe and the other conveyor modules, for discharging goods out of therespective conveyor module.

The invention is based on the realization that in a conveyor belt systema relative movement between the goods and the transporting means can beavoided and simultaneously defined guidance and outward transfer of thegoods can be realized in that the conveyor system is composed ofconveyor modules in which two lateral belts are arranged parallel to anunderfloor belt, with the belts, that is, the underfloor belt and thelateral belts, being mounted on a rack and the rack of each conveyormodule is movable, when the belts are moving, so that the goods can betransferred out of the conveyor module in question.

The invention will be described below with reference to the drawingfigures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric side view, partially broken away, of aconveyor arrangement including a plurality of conveyor modules accordingto the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the conveyor arrangement according tothe invention illustrating pivotal movement of one of the modules.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic plain view of a conveyor systemaccording to the invention showing a modification of the arrangement ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a synchronous drive for the bottomor floor conveyor and the two lateral guide conveyors of a moduleaccording to the invention.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are schematic illustrations showing various commondrive arrangements for the plurality of conveyor modules of the conveyorsystem.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view, partially in section, illustratingvarious configurations of a modification according to the invention of adrive roller for the lateral guide conveyors.

FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the floor and lateral conveyorbelts with a modification according to the invention of the shape of theroller for the conveyor belts.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are respective plan views of one component of theintermediate member between adjacent modules according to the inventionprovided with respective additional conveying arrangements according torespective modifications of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a sequence of three aligned or lined up conveyor modules 1,1a, 1b of the conveyor system according to the invention. The conveyingdirection goes from module 1 to module 1a. A conveyor module 1 is thuscomposed of a basic frame 2 on which a rotatable rack 3 is mounted whichincludes an underfloor belt 4 and two lateral belts 5 and 6. Forsimplification, the rollers guiding and driving conveyor belts 4, 5, 6are not shown in FIG. 1. Rack 3 is rotatable relative to frame 2 about apivot axis 7. Conveyor modules 1 and 1a are connected by an intermediatemember 8 which performs the function of a metal slide sheet. As will bediscussed in greater detail in connection with FIG. 3, intermediatemember 8 is configured so that it is possible for conveyor module 1 tounimpededly rotate about pivot axis 7 as well as for conveyor module 1ato rotate about pivot axis 7a. If conveyor module 1 is not pivotedoutwardly, conveyance occurs by way of intermediate member 8 fromconveyor module 1 to conveyor module 1a. In order to avoid additionalacceleration of the goods being transported while changing from oneconveyor module to the other, the conveyor belts of all modulespreferably move at the same speed. Also, in order to avoid frictionbetween the goods being transported and the conveyor, the lateral belts5, 6 of each module move in synchronism with the associated underfloorbelt 4.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a conveyor system according to the invention.Here, the reference numerals 9 and 9a each identify fixed rollers ofconveyor modules 1 and 1a for lateral belts 5 and 6. Rollers 10 areattached in rack 3 in such a way that, if the rack rotates about pivotpoint 7, there is no change in the tension or speed of movement oflateral belts 5, 6 (see FIG. 3).

The principle of operation of the conveyor according to the inventionwill initially be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As alreadymentioned, the goods are transported from conveyor module 1 to 1awhenever, with the conveyor belts running, modules 1 and 1a abut atintermediate member 8 and form a continuous conveying path. Thetransferring out of conveyed goods is effected in that one conveyormodule, in FIG. 2 conveyor module la, is pivoted into pivot axis 7. Thegoods to be transferred out move by way of intermediate member 8 from afirst conveyor module into a second pivoted-out conveyor module and aretransported by the belts of this conveyor module toward its open end. Itshould be pointed out that in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outward pivoting isshown in the same plane, but it is just as possible to perform apivoting movement for outward transfer toward the top or bottom, whichcan be realized in that the lateral belts are provided with the samecoupling member 8 as provided according to FIG. 3 for the underfloorbelt.

FIG. 3 illustrates the relationships during rotation of module 1b aboutpivot axis 7b. Each intermediate member 8 includes a moveable componentX which has a segment-shaped outer surface and which, as shown, inattached at the front or pivoted end of each module rack, e.g., the rack3 of module 1b. This segment shaped surface of component X fits into andabuts a correspondingly shaped concave surface of a fixed component Y.In this way, free movement about pivot point 7b is possible. A secondconcave surface of component Y cooperates with the outer surface of asemicircular or approximately semicircular component Z, which as shownis connected to the fixed or rear end of each module rack so that freemovement about pivot axis 7b is also possible. The underfloor belt 4moves in front of the respective inner edges of components X and Z ofintermediate member 8, with a small clearance. A significant effect ofthis configuration of components X, Y, Z of the intermediate or couplingmember 8 is that a pivoting movement does not change the gaps betweenthe conveyor elements. In order to minimize friction between the goodsbeing transported and intermediate member 8, the latter is preferablyprovided with a smoothed and/or suitably coated surface. Since therearward rollers 9 and 9a of the lateral belts are stationary during thepivoting, a change in the gap at the side walls between modules 1a and1b is prevented. During the pivoting, the underfloor belt must be movedrigidly around the pivot axis so as to avoid twisting of the beltsurface. On the other hand, changing geometric conditions during thepivoting require resilient mounting of the forward rollers 10. This isindicated in FIG. 3 by spring elements 11. However, elements 11 may beomitted if a roll parallel to the forward roll takes care that thelateral belts 5 and 6 are guided in the form of a parallelogram.

The conveyor belts and the conveyor modules may be driven in variousways. In one embodiment, each conveyor belt is provided with a separate,controlled drive, with a control unit also ensuring that the three beltsof each module are in synchronism with one another. A control unit alsoeffects the synchronism between the conveyor belts and drives of theother conveyor modules. As an alternative to this solution, a centraldrive may also drive each module via chains, belts and toothed wheels,with only one drive motor being employed per module.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the gear mechanism for the synchronousdrive of underfloor belt 4 and lateral belts 5 and 6. The rotation ofthe roller for the underfloor belt takes place about the central pivotpoint 7. Here, reference numeral 12 identifies a drive shaft, identifier13 bevel gears for driving the support roller for the underfloor belt 14identifier toothed in sprocket belts, 15 identifier spur wheels, and 16identifier synchronous belt gears or sprockets for driving lateralrollers 9 and 9a.

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which conveyormodules 1, 1a and 1b that are driven separately by respective motors 17,17a and 17b, are driven in synchronism by ladder chains 18, 18a and 18band toothed wheels 19, 19a and 19b.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show further embodiments of centrally driven transportingmodules 1, 1a and 1b. Here, the reference numeral 20 identifies acentral drive motor 21, 21a, 21b and the numeral 23 identify ladderchains, while numerals 22, 22a, 22b and 24 identify toothed wheelscoupled with the ladder chains.

FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention. In order toprevent objects, such as thin paper, from sliding between theperpendicularly arranged conveyor belts 4 and 5 or 6, respectively,elastic seams or brushes are attached to the lower edges of the verticalrollers 9 and 10. These seams or brushes may also be attached to thelower edge of lateral metal sheets disposed behind the lateral belts andin both cases act as an elastic seal between the lateral belt 4 or 5 andthe underfloor belt 4.

In order to increase the pressure of the lateral belts on the lower beltand thus increase the sealing effect between the two lateral belts 5 and6 and the underfloor belt 4, the rollers may be given a spherical shapeso that there occurs a lateral pressure of the lower edges of thelateral belts on the underfloor belt. This is shown in FIG. 9 for aspherical roller 26 for the underfloor belt 4.

FIG. 10 shows a further-embodiment of the invention in which belts 27are incorporated in the lower metal guide sheet Z of coupling member 8.Belts 27 have the effect that the goods are also transported in theregion of coupling members 8. By suitably selecting the speed of belts27, it is possible to compensate for possible friction of the goodsbeing transported. This may also be effected with rollers 28 which areincorporated in component Z of coupling member 8 as shown in FIG. 11.

In simplified embodiments of the conveyor according to the invention,the driven lateral belts may be omitted and replaced by free-runningbelts or suitable metal guide sheets. Moreover, in an apparatus in whichupward or downward pivoting is provided, the lateral belts may be fixedso that only the underfloor belt is pivotal upwardly or downwardly.

Although the invention has been illustrated with reference to a certainpivoting mechanism, it is clear to the person skilled in the art thatother pivoting mechanisms can also be employed in a conveyor accordingto the invention. Moreover, the conveyor belts may be replaced by drivenrollers or other transporting mechanisms, such as, for example,vibratory conveyors.

I claim:
 1. A modular conveyor arrangement comprising: at least twoaligned conveyor modules attached to a base frame, with each saidconveyor module including a rack, a floor conveyor means mounted on saidrack and extending from a front to a rear thereof, means for mountingsaid rack on said base frame for movement relative to said frame and theother conveyor modules for discharging goods out of the respectiveconveyor module, and two lateral guide conveyor means normally extendingalong the respective lateral edges of said floor conveyor means andmounted for rotation about a front axis disposed on said rack adjacent afront end thereof and about a fixed rear axis; and, means for forming acontinuous conveying path between adjacent aligned conveyor modulesincluding an intermediate segment disposed between adjacent modules andmeans, disposed on said racks of adjacent said modules, for abuttingsaid intermediate member while permitting said movement.
 2. A modularconveyor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said means formounting said rack mounts said rack for rotation about a pivot axisrelative to the base frame.
 3. A modular conveyor arrangement accordingto claim 1, wherein said floor conveying means is an underfloor beltconveyor.
 4. A modular conveyor arrangement according to claim 1,wherein each said lateral guide conveyor means include a respectivelateral belt having fixed rear rollers.
 5. A modular conveyorarrangement according to claim 2, wherein said means for abuttingincludes respective first and second members disposed at the respectivefacing ends of said racks of adjacent said modules, with each of saidfirst and second members having a curved outer surface and an innersurface disposed with a small gap adjacent an end of the associatedfloor conveying means; and said intermediate segment has opposed curvedsurfaces which are adapted to and abut respective said curved outersurfaces of said first and second members.
 6. A modular conveyorarrangement according to claim 5, wherein at least one of saidintermediate segment and said first and second members is provided withone of belts and rollers for conveying goods between adjacent saidmodules.
 7. A modular conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, whereinsaid floor conveyor means and said two lateral guide conveyor meansrespectively comprise an underfloor belt and two lateral belts, eachdriven by and supported on respective rollers.
 8. A modular conveyorarrangement according to claim 7, wherein said means for mounting mountssaid rack for rotation relative to said frame about a pivot axisadjacent a rear end of said module so that a forward end of said rackcan be pivoted out of alignment with an adjacent module; and therespective said rollers for said lateral belts at said forward end ofsaid rack are resiliently supported by spring elements.
 9. A modularconveyor arrangement according to claim 7, wherein at least some of saidrollers have a spherical configuration.
 10. A modular conveyorarrangement according to claim 7, further comprising one of an elasticmember and a brush disposed at a lower edge of said rollers for saidlateral belts and contacting an upper surface of said underfloor belt.11. A modular conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, furthercomprising a common drive means, including bevel gears and toothedbelts, for driving said floor conveyor means and said lateral guideconveyor means.
 12. A modular conveyor arrangement according to claim 1,further comprising common drive means, including toothed wheels andladder chains, for driving said floor conveyor means and said lateralguide conveyor means.
 13. A modular conveyor arrangement fortransporting and distributing discreet or continuous goods by means ofconveyor belts, said arrangement comprising: at least two alignedconveyor modules attached to a base frame, with each said conveyormodule including a rack, a floor conveyor belt and two lateral conveyorbelts mounted on said rack, and means for mounting said rack on saidframe for movement relative to said frame and the other of said conveyormodules to discharge goods out of the respective conveyor module; and arespective intermediate member disposed between adjacent of saidconveyor modules, said intermediate member being composed of first andsecond components each associated and moveable with a respectiveconveyor module and having respective facing curved surfaces, one ofwhich is semicircular, and a further fixed component disposed betweensaid first and second components and having opposed surfaces whichconform with and contact the respective said outer surfaces of saidfirst and second components.
 14. A modular conveyor arrangementaccording to claim 13, further comprising one of conveyor belts androllers on an upper surface of at least one of said components of saidintermediate member for conveying goods between adjacent said modules.15. A modular conveyor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein saidmeans for mounting said rack mounts the associated said rack forrotation about a pivot axis relative to said frame.
 16. A modularconveyor arrangement for transporting and distributing discreet orcontinuous goods by means of conveyor belts, said arrangementcomprising: at least two aligned conveyor modules attached to a baseframe, with each conveyor module including a rack, an underfloorconveyor belt and two lateral guide conveyor belts mounted on said rack,and means for mounting the respective said rack for rotation, relativeto said frame and the other of said conveyor modules, about a pivot axisadjacent a rear end of said module so that a forward end of said rackcan be pivoted out of alignment with an adjacent module in order todischarge goods out of the respective conveyor module; and wherein saidlateral conveyor belts and said underfloor conveyor belt are supportedand driven by respective rollers, including rollers disposed at saidforward end of said rack, and said rollers of said lateral conveyorbelts disposed at said forward end of said rack are resilientlysupported by spring elements.